CVS Opens 12 New Drive-Thru Testing Sites in Connecticut

Self-swab tests help increase the state's testing availability. High-risk communities remain a priority for state leaders.

By Mike Massaro•Published May 15, 2020•Updated on May 15, 2020 at 6:37 pm

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Expanding COVID-19 testing, CVS opened 12 new sites in Connecticut Friday. Each at pharmacy drive-thru locations around the state. At these sites, people, who pre-register on CVS.com can administer a self-swab test while remaining in their car.

“Our focus has been on people’s health and expanding access to testing,” said CVS executive vice president Tom Moriarty.

Unlike the CVS rapid testing drive-thru testing site in New Haven, which has been operating since April, the 12 sites opened Friday will not use the Abbott-ID NOW testing process. The FDA recently issued an alert about the Abbott ID Now test, suggesting it could miss possible infections due to user error.

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Speaking during the governor’s briefing, Moriarty explained CVS has not seen similar problems with their Abbott results.

“The percentage of positive test results, from our data off
of the large scale sites, has been higher than the averages so it has not been
raising any red flags,” said Moriarty.

The New Haven site has the capability of testing up to 750 people per day and offers almost immediate results. The site will continue operating as CVS keeps close tabs on the process.

State leaders continue calling for more testing,
specifically in places of need.

“There’s nothing more important as we ramp up our testing, not just to make it available but to take it to the communities that are most vulnerable, most at risk,” said Gov. Ned Lamont.

According to the governor, those categories include nursing homes, correctional facilities, homeless shelters and people living in underserved communities.

“We’re going to be testing symptomatic as well as asymptomatic.
Doing everything we can to protect them and protect those communities,” added Lamont.

Around the state however, asymptomatic people have limited options
and for now it appears that will remain the same.

“We’re not encouraging the 'worried well' as they’re often referred to. People who don’t have any reason to think they would or could have COVID,” said Connecticut Chief Operating Officer Josh Geballe.